2009 Girard Petite Sirah
2012 William Hill Winery Cabernet Sauvignon North Coast
2012 Migration (Duckhorn Vineyards) Pinot Noir Russian River Valley
2012 Prisoner Wine Company The Prisoner
2009 Girard Petite Sirah – $17.09
This has been a long time favorite of mine. My consumption has declined over the last few vintages as the price escalated. My local store loaded up and offered the wine at a killer price via their e-mail list, so I had to “back up the truck”.
This has 14.5% alcohol and is sealed with an agglomerated cork
Winery History
Thirty years after first planting its vineyards, Girard continues to produce wines reflecting the quality that has made Napa Valley the most famous New World wine-growing region in the world. Napa Valley’s rise to fame was punctuated by a renaissance that began at the same time Girard was setting down its own roots.
As it has been in the past, Girard’s goal is to highlight the flavors of Napa Valley and its rich, ripe grapes. A small portion of the winery’s portfolio also comes from grapes grown in Sonoma’s upscale Russian River Valley, where cool weather offers ideal conditions for Chardonnay.
With the right grapes from the right locations, Girard offers a lineup that features both power and finesse–key words in California wine.
For more information, check out their website by clicking here.
My Tasting Note
The wine is a deep, dark purple color. The outstanding nose has blackberries, black pepper, smoke, caramel, wild flowers, cherries, dark chocolate, earthy underbrush, and vanilla. This has medium to full body, moderate to solid tannins and good acidity. On the palate the berries, pepper, and vanilla leap out first with some nice earthiness and a floral element coming in on the back end. The finish has nice length with some dark bittersweet chocolate entering the picture. (91 pts)
2009 Girard Petite Sirah
2012 William Hill Winery Cabernet Sauvignon North Coast – $18.99
We took a short vacation to South Carolina this week. We were flying and it was just a few days we weren’t checking a bag so we couldn’t take wine. A quick stop at a local wine store was in order. We grabbed the following three wines. We weren’t looking for anything mind blowing, but I wanted a few bottles we could enjoy.
I grabbed a bottle of this wine since it was listed as “North Coast” and not the generic “California” appellation. Since this was a good vintage and good region, I figured this should be acceptable as a Thursday evening, under $20 cab.
This has 13.6% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.
My Tasting Note
The wine is a deep dark ruby color. The inviting nose has cassis, spicy oak, warm baking spices, black cherries, violets and earthy underbrush. This has medium body with soft to moderate tannins and decent acidity. On the palate jammy fruit and spice grab hold first with spicy oak and earthiness coming in later. The finish has decent length with cassis, spice and toasty oak handling the bulk of the work. This is a decent week night Cab but not too much more. (87 pts)
2012 William Hill Winery Cabernet Sauvignon North Coast
2012 Migration (Duckhorn Vineyards) Pinot Noir Russian River Valley – $33.99
This is a favorite of my wife so I had to grab a bottle to enjoy over vacation. Even though I generally like the Migration wines, I usually think there are better examples out there for the price. Unfortunately, the wine store we chose did not have a great selection.
This has 14.5% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.
My Tasting Note
The wine is a medium ruby red color. The appealing nose has black cherries, baking spices, earthy underbrush, raspberries and wild flowers. This has medium body with soft to moderate tannins and good acidity. On the palate spicy red fruit jumps out first with nice earthiness coming in later. The finish has decent length with some earthiness entering the picture. A bit over priced for what the wine supplies. (87 pts)
2012 Migration (Duckhorn Vineyards) Pinot Noir Russian River Valley
2012 Prisoner Wine Company The Prisoner – $44.99
This is another of my wife’s favorites. This vintage is a blend of blend of 46% Zinfandel, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon,18% Petite Sirah, 12% Syrah, and a small amount of Charbono.
This wine has 15.2% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.
My Tasting Note
The wine is a deep, dark purple color. The big and bold nose has blackberries, tobacco, baking spices, dried herbs, black cherries, dark chocolate and licorice. This has a full body with moderate ripe tannins and decent acidity. This wine is massive on the palate with a load of fruit and spice. This intense wine is in your face and shows absolutely no restraint or elegance. This wine is very tasty but you have to be in the mood for this style of wine. The last day of a vacation was a good opportunity of me. (88 pts)
2012 Prisoner Wine Company The Prisoner
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Cheers!
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Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts
Here are posts, newsletters, blogs or other articles that either mention this site or that I have written:
Snooth
WINES THAT RANG OUR BELL IN MARCH 2014 – Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks – White wines for spring.
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WINES WE’VE LOVED! Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks
http://www.snooth.com/articles/wines-we-yve-loved/?viewall=1#ixzz2yOsinkhN
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OUR FAVORITE REDS FOR SPRING – The Wine Cognoscenti Recommend
http://www.snooth.com/articles/our-favorite-reds-for-spring/?viewall=1#ixzz2xkH0dfSj
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WHAT’S A GREAT GRENACHE? – Our Friendly Wine Experts Share Their Favorites!
http://www.snooth.com/articles/what-ys-a-great-grenache-5209/
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SPRING TIME IS FOR PAIRING – Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks
http://www.snooth.com/articles/spring-time-is-for-pairing/
Balzac
Balzac Communications & Marketing – News & Views
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WHAT WE’VE BEEN DRINKING – News and Reviews from Around the Blogosphere
http://www.snooth.com/articles/what-we-yve-been-drinking/?viewall=1#ixzz2vy4idw7a
Snooth
WINES THAT RANG OUR BELL IN FEBRUARY 2014 – Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks
http://www.snooth.com/articles/wines-that-rang-our-bell-in-february-2014/?viewall=1#ixzz2vy4DCh5L
Crave Local
California Wine Reviews: Cline Cellars and Jacuzzi Family Vineyard
Crave Local
Sample Boutique Wines at Affordable Prices with Tastingroom.com
Remember to support your local wine store!
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Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines. I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar. I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com. Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear. There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.
Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase. I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive. I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount. Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges. None of the prices include the sales tax.
All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.
Cheers!
April 27, 2014
Cliff
Cliff's Wine Picks 